Until early 2023, 64.2 million MSMEs in Indonesia represented 96% of the labor force. Of these businesses, about two-thirds are women-owned. While not all of these are e-commerce businesses, 24% of MSMEs (~17.5 million MSMEs) have used e-commerce in marketing their products in 2021. This growing sub-segment of Indonesian businesses represents an opportunity for financial services providers. However, there is limited data available in the Indonesian market incorporating gender intentionality which may limit women’s economic empowerment and create obstacles for greater inclusion of women e-commerce entrepreneurs.
Recognizing this, Women’s World Banking set out to understand how women e-commerce entrepreneurs use e-commerce platforms to increase their economic engagement and business growth. We also set out to recognize how digital and financial services providers and policymakers in Indonesia drive women entrepreneurs’ financial inclusion and economic empowerment through e-commerce platforms.
The report is directed at government, e-commerce providers and financial services providers. It concludes with a matrix of activities and recommendations for building better design and implementation of digital and financial programs, products, and services for women e-commerce entrepreneurs in Indonesia. It is available in English and Bahasa Indonesia.
